Rams must capitalize on Colts’ depleted roster with Week 1 win

Christmas isn’t for another few months, but the gifts came early for the Los Angeles Rams this year. By being given a Week 1 matchup with the Indianapolis Colts, the Rams lucked (no pun intended) into one of the most favorable season openers in the NFL. It’s not that the Colts are a bad team. They’re not. It’s that their roster is significantly depleted due to injuries.

On Monday, general manager Chris Ballard announced that Andrew Luck has been ruled out for the team’s Week 1 game against Los Angeles. It came as no surprise, seeing as most people knew that’d be the case after he missed all of camp and the preseason. Still, it’s news that greatly impacts the Rams’ season right from the start.

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Starting cornerback Vontae Davis is also out a few weeks, as is center Ryan Kelly. That’s three key starters that won’t be suiting up against the Rams in Week 1. And to sweeten the deal for L.A., they play positions that the Rams can now take full advantage of.

Kelly is a solid center and one of the Colts’ best linemen. The Rams are stout up front, even without Aaron Donald in the lineup. Michael Brockers will now have a far easier matchup, as will whoever replaces Donald, assuming he doesn’t play in the season opener.

At cornerback, the Colts will be forced to vault a rookie like Quincy Wilson or Nate Hairston into a starting role. That bodes well for the Rams’ much-improved wide receiving corps, headlined by newcomer Sammy Watkins. Facing Rashaan Melvin or Wilson will be far easier than lining up across from Davis all game long for Watkins, which should lead to a big game for the former Bills wideout.

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Obviously, for the defense as a whole, which has performed well up to this point, taking on Scott Tolzien is a far easier task than facing Luck. Tolzien is inexperienced, doesn’t have a big arm and won’t do much to challenge the Rams’ defensive backs.

Regardless of whether the Rams have Donald or not when they take the field on Sunday, the Rams have to take advantage of this golden opportunity to start 1-0. When the schedule came out, it looked like Week 1 would be a difficult game to win with Luck, Kelly and Davis healthy (at the time). The Colts are always a tough out, as bad as their defense has been, thanks to the sheer ability of Luck to keep them in games with his arm.

Now, it’s all setting up to be a victory for the Rams. Now, it’s just up to Jared Goff and Co. to capitalize and put together a solid outing and come away with a statement win.

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If not, the Rams will be starting what could be a promising season on the wrong foot. The following week, they’ll play host to the Redskins before paying the 49ers a visit. San Francisco won’t be much of a test, but Washington will be, as will the Cowboys in Week 4 – with Ezekiel Elliott, or not.

The start of the season sets up well for the Rams, and it all starts with winning Week 1 against the Colts. Lose that game and it’ll leave a sour taste in the team’s mouth.

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